Christmas At The Burrow
by thetimeladyswan
Summary: An eventful first Christmas after the war. George and Angelina get married, and what's wrong with Hermione? Contains Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Neville/Luna and George/Angelina. My first HP story; hope you enjoy!  Teen rating to be on the safe side


_My first Harry Potter story. It'll only have a couple of chapters. The first Christmas after the final Battle. George and Angelina are getting married, Harry and Ginny are engaged, and Ginny's pregnant, and Ron and Hermione used to date, but they've fought again, and broken up. For some back story, watch my videos (website's on my account. I'm ginnyharryfan22 on youtube) __ and don't spoil this for anyone! This story starts at Episode 24._

* * *

Hermione sat in the only empty armchair remaining. She wasn't the only one detached from the mood; Angelina sat across the room, curled in a chair, looking pale.

Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna were squeezed together on the couch. Harry, Neville and Luna were talking, and Ginny had fallen asleep, her head on Harry's shoulder.

Ron sat on the floor in a corner, eating as usual. He had a grin on his face, and was looking everywhere but the chair Hermione resided in. She couldn't take it anymore. She got to her feet and slipped outside – no one noticed.

She waved her wand beside her as she walked on the snow, not wanting to ruin it. She didn't stop until she reached the pond. A tall tree stood a few feet away from it. The ground beneath it was dry and free of snow. Hermione sat down.

She lost herself in a haze of memories, resting amongst the clutter when Ron had gone. She'd spent most of her time crying, but she was not going to waste on her tears on Ron this time.

But she had come out in the cold because of him, wearing only a pair of jeans and an old sweater. She became aware of how cold she was, and started to shiver, but she didn't go inside.

She sat until her body, along with her pain, had gone numb, until she could not bear to watch the frozen surface of the pond and remember. She rose, and walked back to the crooked house, covering her tracks once more.

She went to bed before everyone else, and after a while lying awake, she fell into an uneasy and fitful sleep.

* * *

Ginny was concerned. When she'd woken up, Hermione hadn't been there. Having asked Harry where she was, Ginny learned that Hermione had already gone to bed. So Ginny had followed.

Hermione was tossing and turning in her sleep, and she was clearly sweating. Ginny was horribly reminded of Harry when he was having a nightmare, about the battle or something similar. She'd seen it twice, when she had gone to wake him up.

Ginny thought for a moment, then conjured a flannel and a bowl. Using _Agumenti _to fill the bowl, Ginny wet the flannel and laid it on Hermione's forehead, then she tucked the bedclothes under her friend's chin.

Ginny vanished the bowl of water and climbed into her own bed. She was really tired lately, and went out like a light.

* * *

When Hermione woke, the bedclothes were tucked underneath her chin, and something damp lay on her forehead. She reached up, and realised that it was a flannel. She pulled it down, and looked to her right to the sleeping figure of Ginny. She had an inkling that it had been her.

Hermione checked her watch. It was six a.m. rolling over, she fell asleep again.

* * *

'… Let her sleep; I think she might be sick.'

'Will she be all right for later?'

'I don't know.'

Hermione's eyes flickered open. Ginny was standing in the doorway, talking to Harry.

'I'm fine,' Hermione said, sitting up. 'You don't have to worry.'

'You sure?' Ginny asked, turning. 'You were burning up a while ago.'

Hermione nodded. 'I'm fine,' she repeated.

'Okay then. Do you want me to get the breakfast Mum's saved for you?'

Hermione shook her head, and tried to get out of bed, before feeling suddenly weak and sinking back on her pillows.

'Are you okay?' Ginny asked anxiously, sitting on the end of Hermione's bed and feeling her forehead.

'You really are getting like a mother,' Hermione joked. 'I just felt weak for some reason. Maybe I should eat that breakfast.'

'Okay; I'll get it,' Ginny said, getting up again.

'You two stay there,' Harry said. 'I'll get it.'

He left. Ginny sat down on her own bed, looking at Hermione.

'What exactly happened?' Ginny asked.

'I went outside for a while,' said Hermione. 'Then I came back in and went to bed.'

'Hermione! It's minus something out there this time of year! No wonder you're sick.'

Harry came back in with the tray of breakfast, and laid it on the end of the bed.

'Harry,' said Ginny. 'How long was Hermione outside in sub zero temperatures for?'

Harry sat beside his fiancée and thought for a moment. 'An hour or two, I think.'

'Don't worry about me, guys,' said Hermione, sitting up properly and taking the tray onto her lap. 'I'll eat this and I'll be fine.'

She ate her breakfast, and afterwards found that she was able to get up, though she still felt a little light-headed.

'Today's about George and Angelina,' she said, as she led the way downstairs to the kitchen. 'I'm not going to spoil it for them by getting sick.'

She could sense Ginny giving Harry a look, even though she could not see it, but, thankfully, they didn't say anything.

'Anyway,' she continued. 'How's Angelina.'

'Still not talking,' said Ginny. 'She looks like a ghost; and she's so nervous.'

'Talked to George?' Hermione asked.

'No,' said Harry and Ginny together.

'Right,' said Hermione, not sure where to take the conversation next.

They stood in silence for a moment, then Hermione said, 'I'll just leave you two alone.

She went back up to her room, as she knew that they would not let her outside. She decided to devote her time to trying to tame her hair. She pulled out a four year old bottle of hair potion, but it brought back too many memories of Ron, and she did _not _want to think about him right now.

She instead sat in front of the dressing table, conjured a pretty looking hair brush, and dragged it through her hair.

When she had finished, her hair actually looked quite nice. She pointed her wand at her hair, and it curled itself into a nice hairstyle. It was simple, but nice. The door opened and she turned around.

'You look better than Angelina now,' Ginny said. 'She's gone paler, and I didn't know if that was possible.'

'Hmmm,' said Hermione, getting up and taking her dress out of her wardrobe. She put it on and hunted for her shoes. She finally found them underneath the dressing table, and put them on.

'It's gonna be freezing,' said Ginny. 'I should've gotten a long-sleeved dress.'

'We'll be fine,' said Hermione, picking her black beaded bag up and leading the way downstairs.

'You two look lovely,' said Harry.

'Thanks,' said Ginny. Harry noticed the beaded bag in Hermione's hand.

'You've _still_ got that thing?' he said incredulously.

'It's handy,' Hermione protested. 'I've emptied most of it out, of course.'

'Right, are we ready to go?' Harry asked.

'Yeah,' said Hermione and Ginny in unison, and the three of them went outside.

The snow was untouched, as everyone had covered their tracks. Hermione now covered their tracks as they walked towards the marquee, which was so white that it made the snow look dirty.

They sat down, carefully, as Hermione could see, arranging the seating so that Harry and Ginny separated Ron and Hermione.

Hermione didn't listen to the ceremony, she just watched their lips move. George's ear looked strange, and Angelina was wearing a simple long- sleeved dress, made of a purple material. Everyone stopped talking, and George and Angelina kissed. Hermione joined in with the clapping, though her hands felt numb. As soon as the reception started, she put a forced smile on her face, congratulated George and Angelina, and handed them their present. Then, she slipped outside the marquee and sat again under the tree.

After a time, Ginny joined her.

'You shouldn't be out here,' she said, taking Hermione's hand and pulling her up. She then led the way back to the marquee. Hermione followed at a slower pace. Her head had begun to spin again, and she did not feel right. Suddenly, she toppled to the ground and everything went black.

* * *

_If you've watched my videos, then you'll know that Ginny's already collapsed. I wonder if I should do Luna too, then I'd have all three of them. This isn't as serious as Ginny._

_I forgot to mention: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, there would've been another book (maybe more than that) explaining what happened in between the final battle and nineteen years later._

_Please Review!_


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